A group of Filipinos has reportedly raised the $26,000 in ‘blood money’ needed to free one of its longest serving citizens in a Kuwaiti jail. Joseph Urbiztondo, 45, was sentenced to life in jail in 1996 for accidentally killing his Bangladeshi co-worker, Azizur Rahman. The victim’s family eventually agreed on the amount of blood money – a common payment made to the families of murder victims as compensation in return for freedom – but Urbiztondo’s family could not raise the money, Kuwait Times said.

The Filipino government also was reluctant to pay up. The Filipino community in both Kuwait and at home rallied together and it took more than a decade to raise the required amount. It is planned to be delivered to Rahman’s family via the Philippine Embassy in Dhaka in Bangladesh, Kuwait Times said.

The turnover ceremony would include the signing of a letter of foregiveness. Philippine Ambassador to Kuwait Renato Pedro Villa said he was proud of the Filipinos’ efforts for their compatriot. He said he expected Urbiztondo to be freed from jail within weeks.